User Guide

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Laser Show – the Kit User Guide

59016 V0109

Included Materials If any items are missing, contact Customer Service at 800-358-4983. Circuit board 2 motors 2 nylon motor mounts 2 mirrors 2 mirror mounts 2 zip ties 2 potentiometers 2 right-angle slide (big) switches On/off (small) switch 2 variable voltage LM317 regulators 2 – 2.7K resistors

2 – 6-32 x 1/4" Phillips screws 6-32 x 5/8" Phillips screw 3 – 6-32 hex nuts Two-conductor wire Laser pointer O-ring Piece of silicone tubing Laser mount Battery holder 4 AA batteries 4 adhesive rubber feet Foam board, 5" x 7"

*Warning: This is a Class 3 laser with an output of 1-5 milliwatts. Though this laser has been approved for classroom use, never point it into someone’s eyes. It could damage his or her eyes.

Motor

Circuit board

Motor mount

Figure 1a

Laser Show Kit 59016 V0410 2

Mirror mount

Mirror

Potentiometer

On/off switch

Voltage regulator O-ring

Right-angle slide switch

Laser mount

Laser

Silicone tubing

Two-conductor wire Resistor Zip tie

Figure 1b

Tools Required (not included) Soldering iron and solder Wire cutter/stripper

#2 Phillips screwdriver Small wrench or pliers

Introduction The Laser Show – The Kit is a great project to get soldering experience as well as to see how reflected light and geometry are used to create patterns of light. Note: All soldering should be done on the back side of the circuit board. Cut off any excess wire. Laser Show Kit 59016 V0410 3

Assembly 1) Find the circuit board. Notice there are white outlines indicating where the parts line up and are soldered or fastened. Find the two resistors. Push one of the resistors’ wires through the holes and solder the wired ends to the circles – also called pods – in the area labeled “R1.” Do the same for the other resistor in the area labeled “R2.” 2) Find the voltage regulators. You will solder them to the areas labeled “VR-1” and “VR-2.” One at a time, place one of the regulator’s three prongs into the corresponding three holes under VR-1. Bend the regulator prongs until the regulator lies flat against the circuit board while still having the prongs in the holes (Figure 2). Solder the three contact points to the circuit board. Repeat this procedure for the other resistor under VR-2.

Figure 2

3) Find the two right-angle slide switches. With their switches facing off the edge of the board, fit them into the areas labeled “Direction.” Solder the eight contact points of each switch to the circuit board. 4) Find the on/off switch. Place its three holes in the three circuit board holes in the box between the On and Off labels. Solder these three contact points to the board. 5) Find the potentiometers. Align the five holes of one of the potentiometers in the holes near the area labeled “Speed” and “#1.” Solder these five contact points. Repeat with the other potentiometer and the holes between the Speed and #2 labels. Laser Show Kit 59016 V0410 4

6) Cut two 3-inch pieces of two-conductor wire. Carefully peel apart the two sides of the wire pieces approximately 3/4 inch from each end. Strip all of the wire ends approximately 1/8 inch (Figure 3).

Figure 3

7) Solder both ends of one long side of the wire to the connection terminals on one of the motors. Repeat this procedure for the other motor and wire piece. 8) Find the two motor mounts. Using the two 6-32 x 1/4" screws and two of the three 6-32 hex nuts, fasten the motor mounts to the circuit board through the large holes above the areas labeled “Motor 1” and “Motor 2.” These two large holes do not have a label but have a white circle around them. Make sure the hex nuts are on the bottom of the circuit board and the mounts are lengthwise pointing toward the end of the board that says “Pitsco, Inc.” 9) Thread a zip tie through each of these motor mounts. One at a time, position each motor on the mount so the motor post is pointing to the middle of the board as indicated by the white outline. Tighten the zip tie around the motor. (Tip: To get a good hold with the zip tie, try holding the zip tie square end with one hand and using pliers to pull the other end tight with the other hand.) Trim off the excess zip tie ends with the wire cutter/ stripper. 10) Solder the two remaining ends of the wire attached to Motor 1 to the two round holes labeled “1A” and “1B.” Repeat this procedure with Motor 2 wire ends and the holes labeled “2A” and “2B.”

Laser Show Kit 59016 V0410 5

11) Peel the paper backing from the adhesive side of one of the mirror mounts. Attach a mirror – reflective side facing out – on this mirror mount. With the hole on the back of the mount facing one of the motor posts, carefully push the mirror and mount onto the motor post. Repeat this procedure for the other mirror, mirror mount, and motor post. 12) Using the 6-32 x 5/8" Phillips screw and the last 6-32 hex nut, fasten the laser pointer mount to the circuit board in the circle labeled “Laser.” The hex nut should be on bottom of the circuit board. Leave the mount a little loose so you can adjust the laser. 13) Remove the laser pointer from its package. Insert the batteries as directed on the package. Push the O-ring over the front end of the pointer and roll it back until it is past the small power button. Push the silicone tubing over the front end of the laser pointer until it rests between the front end and the small power button. 14) Place the laser into its mount, with the power button facing up, so the laser points toward the mirror on Motor 1. Turn on the laser by pressing its small button. The laser should hit the Motor 1 mirror, reflect to the Motor 2 mirror, and reflect off the Motor 2 mirror as outlined on the circuit board. If it doesn’t, adjust the position of the motors and the laser mount until the laser beam reflects properly. 15) After the beam is reflecting properly, tighten the hex nut of the laser mount with the small wrench or pliers. 16) Peel off the paper backing of the four rubber feet. Turn over the circuit board and place one of the feet – sticky side adhering to the board – in each corner. Get the foot as close to the corner as possible without touching a locknut or a solder point. 17) Take the red and black wires from the battery pack and strip the ends approximately 1/8 inch. 18) In the bottom-left corner of the circuit board is a box labeled “Battery Pk.” There are two holes inside that box, and two other holes outside the box parallel to the inside holes. Take the battery holder wires and thread them down through the outside hole parallel to the negative (-) sign. Then thread the wires up through the outside hole parallel to the positive (+) sign (Figure 4 on the next page). Laser Show Kit 59016 V0410 6

Figure 4 19) Take the end of the black wire and solder it to the inside hole parallel to the negative (-) sign. Solder the red wire end to the inside hole parallel to the positive (+) sign.

20) Place the four batteries into the battery holder as indicated in the bottom of the holder.

Operation Caution: Do not point the laser into anyone’s eyes. Though the laser included in this kit has been approved for classroom use, the laser could cause damage to eyes. 1) Place the circuit board on a level surface. Turn on the laser by rolling the O-ring so it rests on top of the small button – this will keep the laser working even when the button is not being held down. Prop up the foam board on edge at least two feet away from the laser*. You may need to place something under the front of the circuit board to make the laser image move up. 2) When the laser and foam board are set up correctly, flip the switch to On. 3) There are four ways to experiment with getting new shapes. Each motor has a right-angle slide switch that changes the direction in which the mirror spins. Plus, there are the No. 1 and 2 potentiometers that change the speed the motors spin as you turn the knob. Laser Show Kit 59016 V0410 7

Experiment with the potentiometers and the right-angle slide switches to see what shapes are possible to create with the laser light. *If you want the image to be larger, move the apparatus farther from the foam board or other display surface being used.

Other Ideas Are there other ways to make the shapes change? Is there a way to connect the laser beam to a source of sound to affect the visual results? Research how lasers are used for visual effects at music concerts. How is the Laser Show – The Kit like systems at concerts? How is it different? Note: Other standard pocket-sized lasers could be used with the Laser Show – The Kit in order to get a different color.

P.O. Box 1708 • Pittsburg, KS 66762 www.pitsco.com Toll-Free Orders 800-835-0686 Laser Show Kit 59016 V0410 8